The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Mumbai is set to witness a spike in temperatures over the next couple of days. (Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)Mumbai News Highlights: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Mumbai is set to witness a spike in temperatures over the next couple of days, with light showers forecast in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts next week. According to IMD Mumbai, over the next couple of days, temperatures are slated to spike further in Mumbai as well as in Thane, touching up to 38-39 degrees Celsius.
A day after being expelled from the Congress, former MP Sanjay Nirupam hit out at the grand old party and claimed there is “tremendous arrogance” in the party leadership. Nirupam further claimed Congress is now history and has no future and that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is a merger of three “sick units”.
Meanwhile, after weeks of uncertainty between the Udhhav Thackeray-led Sena and Congress over the sharing of the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, the Sena UBT chief hinted that he was ready to offer the Mumbai North seat along with the Mumbai North Central seat to the Congress. Thackeray also said that since the seat sharing is over and candidates have been announced the Congress should start the campaigning.
Patole wished death for Akola MP during rally, must apologise: Fadnavis
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday alleged state Congress president Nana Patole had wished death for sitting Akola MP Sanjay Dhotre.
Fadnavis tagged a speech of Patole in Akola to back his claim and said such statements were against the culture of the state.
Patole's comments are highly insensitive and he must apologise, Fadnavis said on X.
Friendly fights only help BJP, confident MVA parties will act responsibly: Jayant Patil
There should be no "friendly fights" among allies in the Lok Sabha polls as these will only help the Bharatiya Janata Party, said NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil on Friday.
The NCP (SP), Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), which make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi, are facing issues during seat sharing, giving rise to the possibility of friendly fights.
Addressing a press conference, Patil said his party announced the candidature of Suresh Mhatre from Bhiwandi Lok Sabha seat in Thane district after giving an idea to Shiv Sena (UBT) as well as the Congress, which wanted to contest the seat.
It was necessary to declare the candidate from Bhiwandi as the new symbol 'tutari' (a man with a blowing trumpet), which was allotted to the Sharad Pawar faction following the split in the NCP, has to reach every household, he said.
"Friendly contests should be avoided as it helps the BJP. There is a strong possibility of defeating the BJP in one-to-one fight. I am confident the Shiv Sena and Congress will find a way out (in Sangli)," he said. (PTI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) announced candidate for Sangli after high level deliberations, says Raut
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said his party decided to field wrestler Chandrahar Patil from Sangli for the Lok Sabha polls after seat sharing deliberations with allies at a higher level.
The Congress, an ally of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, had also claimed the seat and wanted to give the ticket to Vishal Patil.
The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, which make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi, took part in the seat sharing process and such differences are bound to come up on one or two seats, Raut said.
He pointed out that the Shiv Sena (UBT) had ceded Kolhapur to the Congress despite the sitting MP being from his party.
"We also gave Ramtek and Amravati seats to the Congress. As far as Sangli is concerned, our workers from western Maharashtra wanted to contest the seat. So we decided to exchange the Kolhapur seat with Congress. The Sena announced its candidate after seat-sharing deliberations at a higher level," Raut said. (PTI)
PMC bank fraud: HC grants bail to HDIL promoters Sarang and Rakesh Wadhawan
The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) promoters Sarang Wadhawan and his father Rakesh Wadhawan in two cases related to alleged fraud of Rs 4000 crore in Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank.
A single bench of Justice S M Modak granted the duo bail in the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as well as the predicate offence registered by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing.
The bench directed the duo to submit a surety of Rs 5 lakh in each case.
The court, while granting them bail, took note of their long incarceration and delay in trial. The Wadhawans were arrested in October 2019 for allegedly conspiring with certain PMC staffers and causing the lender massive losses. (PTI)
Heat stroke prevention: Mumbai's civic body sets up cold rooms, stocks up on medicines
The civic body in Mumbai has set up cold rooms and made heat stroke medicines available at its health facilities anticipating a searing summer, an official said on Friday.
In a release, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said it had equipped 103 of its Hindu Hridaysmrat Balasaheb Thackeray 'Aapla Davakhana' (public dispensaries) with air conditioners.
"Fourteen major hospitals, general hospitals and medical colleges will have two beds each in the cold rooms set up for treating heat stroke patients. Medical officers and staffers have been trained for the control and prevention of heat stroke," the release said.
The civic body has already released guidelines for control and prevention of heat stroke, it added. (PTI)
Five killed, three injured as SUV hits motorbike in Nashik district
At least five persons were killed and three injured as an SUV collided with a motorcycle near Dindori in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Friday afternoon, police said.
The incident took place around 2 pm at Chinchbari on Dindori-Nashik road when the SUV was coming towards Nashik from the pilgrimage town of Wani, said an official.
The driver of the speeding SUV lost control of the steering wheel and rammed into the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction and also hit a roadside tree, he said. The SUV driver was apparently trying to overtake another vehicle, the official added.
Anil Bodke and his son Rahul who were riding the motorcycle died on the spot. The two were residents of Niphad in the district.
Of the passengers in the SUV, Mukesh Kumar Yadav (25), Aman Ramkesh Yadav (18) and Kusumdevi Ramkesh Yadav (45), members of a Nashik-based family, died in the accident while three others were injured. (PTI)
PETA seeks action against MLA Rohit Pawar for dangling crab at presser
Animal rights organisation PETA has written to poll authorities and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar over MLA Rohit Pawar dangling a crab during a recent press conference and sought action against him.
The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals said the act violated the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the Maharashtra Model Code of Conduct, an order issued by Chief Electoral Officer on March 24, 2014 prohibiting the use of animals for election campaigning as well as Election Commission directives.
In the letter to Pawar and District Election Officer Minal Kalaskar, PETA India Advocacy Associate Shaurya Agrawal said, "It is evident from the video that Shri (Rohit) Pawar's use of the crab was pre-planned. For a media stunt, unnecessary pain and suffering were caused to the animal." Research shows crabs are intelligent individuals who can experience pain, and they also explore their surroundings, have good memories, and communicate with each other, Agrawal said. (PTI)
Sky will remain mostly clear in Mumbai city and suburbs for the next 24 hours: IMD
The sky will remain mostly clear in Mumbai city and suburbs for the next 24 hours according to IMD forecast. Hot and humid conditions are likely at isolated places. The maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 34°C and 24°C respectively. Sunil Kamble, director of IMD Mumbai while talking to ANI said, "At present, we are expecting heatwave in Marathwada and Vidarbha whereas in Mumbai the temperature is not in the category of a heatwave."
Maharashtra poll pourri: Ajit Pawar goes for another family member, all’s not well in Shiv Sena, and more
While Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar will be contesting from Baramati, his another relative will be the party candidate from Dharashiv seat in Marathwada. Archana Patil, wife of BJP MLA Rana Jagjitsinh Patil who is a nephew of Sunetra Pawar, joined the NCP on Thursday. Archana will be the NCP candidate from Dharashiv against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Omraje Nimbalkar, her brother in law. Ultimately, irrespective of all political differences, it’s all in the family. Read more
Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court directs premature release of gangster Arun Gawli
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court directed the premature release of Gangster Arun Gawli from Central Jail. The court held that Gawli would be entitled to the benefit of the 2006 policy.
Heatwave expected in Marathwada and Vidarbha: IMD
Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case: SC grants bail to activist Shoma Kanti Sen
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to academic- activist Shoma Kanti Sen, who was arrested in June 2018 in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Augustine George Masih directed that she be released on bail on such conditions as the special court may consider fit and proper.
It said the conditions shall include that Sen shall not leave the state of Maharashtra without the permission of the special court.
Sen, an English literature professor and women's rights activist, was arrested in connection with the case on June 6, 2018.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017 which police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the city's outskirts.
The Pune Police had claimed that the conclave was backed by Maoists. (PTI)
Only 6.1 per cent students still looking for jobs: IIT-B
Amid reports over placement crisis at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the institute, on Thursday, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) stating that only 6.1 per cent students were still looking for jobs, as per an exit survey among graduating students in 2022-23.
According to the findings shared by the institute in the image posted on X, 57.1 per cent students were placed through the IIT Bombay process from graduating students in the year 2022-23. Of the remaining candidates highest percentage of students at 12.2 went for higher education and 8.3 per cent went for public services, whereas 4.3 per cent remained undecided. While 1.6 per cent proceeded with start-up plans, 10.3 per cent got jobs outside of IIT Bombay process. (Read more)
2 men held in Mumbai for smuggling silver worth Rs 2.58 crore from Thailand
The customs department in Mumbai on Thursday arrested two people on charges of smuggling silver jewellery, wallets and watches worth Rs 2.58 crore from Thailand. The silver was being smuggled in by declaring it as imitation jewellery, officials said.
The customs department had recently received information that silver or gold was being smuggled through flights from Bangkok, Thailand. Based on this information, in March, the department seized the jewellery and other items weighing 172 kg from two passengers who had arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. Their investigation revealed that the seized items were made of silver and not the imitation jewellery as claimed by fliers.
The two accused, identified as Praveen Kumar Gupta (37) and Azar Khan (29), were allegedly carrying these silver items while flying to India from Thailand via Thai Airways flight TG-351. (Read more)
Murmu launches India’s first gene therapy for cancer at IIT Bombay
President Droupadi Murmu Thursday launched the country’s first home-grown anti-cancer CAR-T cell therapy NexCAR19 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the launch of India’s first gene therapy is a breakthrough in our battle against cancer and praised the industry-academia partnership which led to the innovation.
The NexCAR19 CAR-T therapy is developed by Prof. Rahul Purwar, Department of Bio-sciences and Bio-engineering along with his team at IIT Bombay, at the startup ImmunoACT which he co-founded with his students, and with doctors at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. (Read more)
Sunetra Pawar: 'Contesting LS polls as it is my duty to stand for my husband (Ajit Pawar)'
Making her debut in electoral politics, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Baramati candidate Sunetra Pawar said it was her duty towards husband, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar that made her contest the election. She is taking on family member and sitting MP Supriya Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and winner of the past three Lok Sabha elections, in the Pawar bastion.
“It is my duty to stand for my husband in the current political situation. Thus, I am contesting the Lok Sabha election and am confident of winning it,” she told The Indian Express when asked what made her change her earlier publicly-declared stance of never wanting to enter politics. (Read more)
Mumbai Coastal Road witnesses its first accident
The newly-inaugurated Coastal Road in Mumbai recorded its first accident on Thursday when a speeding car hit the wall of a tunnel, officials said.
The accident took place at 12.37 pm in the south-bound tunnel near the Marine Drive exit in south Mumbai, civic officials said.
A car hit the wall and spun around, said an official. No one was hurt, but the accident affected traffic on the Coastal Road for some time, he added. (Read more)
Data collected by RTI activist: Ministers’ bungalows in Mumbai default on water bills; total dues Rs 88 lakh
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) records show that as many as 11 government bungalows, including those currently used by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, have defaulted on payment of water charges between 2021 and 2024. The total outstanding amount of all the government bungalows stand at Rs 88.59 lakh.
Meanwhile, senior officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for maintenance of these bungalows, told The Indian Express that the bills for the previous financial year were generated on March 29, and will be paid by Friday. The final due date of paying the bills is April 28. (Read more)
‘What is the price of human lives in city,’ HC asks BMC
The Bombay High Court on Thursday took cognisance of news reports related to the April 1 incident of two boys drowning in an open water tank at Maharshi Karve Garden in Central Mumbai’s Wadala.
In light of this, the bench questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as to “what was the price of human life in the city” and initiated a suo motu PIL on the issue of compensation in cases of deaths due to negligence by the civic bodies.
A division bench of Justices Gautam S Patel and Kamal R Khata noted, “It seems to us inconceivable that a Municipal Corporation could have no responsibility or liability at all if it is demonstrated that an accident or a death has been caused due to negligence on the part of the Corporation concerned.” (Read more)
Temperatures set to soar in Mumbai; light rain forecast in Thane, Palghar
Mumbai is set to witness a spike in temperatures over the next couple of days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with relief expected next week when light showers have been forecast in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts.
While weather bureau scientists said that the likelihood of rain in Mumbai is slim, for now, it has sounded a yellow alert across several districts, a respite from the ongoing heatwave in the interiors parts of the state. Read more
Mumbai Coastal Road witnesses its first accident; car suffers damage after hitting tunnel wall
The newly-inaugurated Coastal Road in Mumbai recorded its first accident when a speeding car hit the wall of a tunnel, officials said. The accident took place at 12:37 pm in the south-bound tunnel near the Marine Drive exit in south Mumbai.
A car hit the wall and spun around, said an official. No one was hurt, but the accident affected traffic on the Coastal Road for some time. The driver claimed that its steering wheel was "loose" which caused him to lose control, the statement added.
An eye-witness told PTI that she tried to alert authorities after watching an accident ahead, but could not get mobile network inside the tunnel and the emergency communication system was not easily visible.
Navneet Rana files nomination from Amravati, VBA's Ambedkar from Akola
Sitting MP and BJP leader Navneet Rana and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar filed nominations for the Amravati and Akola Lok Sabha seats respectively.
Ambedkar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacks other parties over dynastic politics but the BJP's Akola candidate Anup Dhotre is son of sitting MP Sanjay Dhotre.
Sanjay Nirupam has spoken ill of all parties he has been in: Congress' Varsha Gaikwad
Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Varsha Gaikwad said that expelled party leader Sanjay Nirupam has spoken ill of all parties he has been in.
Why was Sanjay Nirupam miffed with Congress?
Sanjay Nirupam, who was eyeing the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, has been miffed with the Congress for allowing the Shiv Sena (UBT) to take the seat for the parliamentary polls.
The demand for action against Nirupam grew after he castigated the Maharashtra Congress leadership for "ceding" constituencies in Mumbai to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party during seat-sharing talks of the MVA for the Lok Sabha elections.
What Sanjay Nirupam said following his expulsion from Congress
'Tremendous arrogance' in party leadership: Sanjay Nirupam
A day after being expelled from the Congress, former MP Sanjay Nirupam hit out at the grand old party and claimed there is "tremendous arrogance" in the party leadership.
Nirupam further claimed the Congress is now history and has no future and that the Maha Vikas Aghadi is a merger of three "sick units". There are five power centres in the Congress -- the three Gandhi family members, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and (party general secretary) K C Venugopal, Nirupam said.
Political leaders who switched parties this year: From Milind Deora to Ashok Chavan, Baba Siddique to Ritesh Pandey
In one of the major setbacks to the Congress in Maharashtra, former chief minister Ashok Chavan quit the party to join the BJP. Meanwhile, Senior party leader Milind Deora quit the Congress to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Mumbai Congress’s high-profile face from the upscale Bandra belt, Baba Siddique, joined the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar last month.
List of political leaders who switched parties this year
Maharashtra: On run for 36 years, murder accused arrested from Vasai
The Manickpur police in Maharashtra on Wednesday arrested a 55-year-old man who was wanted in a murder case and had been on the run for 36 years from the Vasai area.
According to the police, on November 30, 1988, one Sameer Akbar Ali, a Navghar resident, was murdered over a business rivalry by seven people, including the arrested accused Clement Simon Lobo alias Munna. The killers dumped the body in bushes and fled as the Vasali police registered a murder case. Read
President Murmu launches indigenously-developed CAR T-cell therapy for cancer treatment
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated on Thursday indigenously-developed CAR T-cell therapy to treat cancer patients.
The event was held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay located in Powai.
Developed by the IIT Bombay and the Tata Memorial Centre, this gene-based therapy will help in curing cancer, including different types of blood cancer, officials said.
NexCAR19 CAR T-cell therapy is India's first 'Made in India' CAR T-cell therapy, which will significantly bring down the cost of treatment, they said. (PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu in Mumbai today
'Navneet Rana's caste certificate has been declared valid by SC': DYCM Devendra Fadnavis
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis told media in Amravati, " Navneet Rana's caste certificate has been declared valid by the Supreme Court. Those who were questioning the caste validity and doing politics have got a befitting reply through an apex court order."
DYCM Devendra Fadnavis to address public rally in Baramati on Friday
DYCM Devendra Fadnavis to address public rally in Baramati on Friday. NCP led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar is contesting from Baramati against NCP ( SP) three term MP Supriya Sule.
‘Congress organisationally disturbed, Nehruvian secularism had made Hindus fear own religion’, says Sanjay Nirupam
A day after the Congress expelled its former Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam citing “complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements”, the former MP hit out at the party saying that his expulsion came moments after he had sent his resignation. While Nirupam wanted to contest from Mumbai North-West, the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, an ally of the Congress, declared Amol Kirtikar as the candidate.
President Murmu to visit IIT Bombay today
President Droupadi Murmu will launch a CAR-T Cell Therapy unit at IIT Bombay today at 12 pm.
Solving Crime: From posing as fruit vendors in UP to tracking 97 SIM cards, how Mumbai cops’ ‘Mission Alibaba’ succeeded
It was a seemingly uncomplicated robbery case. A theft had occurred at a businessman’s apartment in suburban Dahisar and gold worth Rs 42 lakh and Rs 40,000 in cash had been stolen. The investigation into the case, however, saw a Mumbai police team scan footage from nearly 170 CCTV cameras, track the locations of 97 SIM cards, and disguise themselves as fruit vendors and postmen. It took nearly 11 months for the suspects to be caught from Uttar Pradesh and ‘Mission Alibaba’ to succeed.
On the afternoon of December 31, 2021, as per the police, the businessman had stepped out of his house. When he returned, he found the door unlocked and a cupboard dismantled. The gold jewellery belonging to his wife, four ‘lagad’ or gold bars and cash were missing. The businessman registered a first information report (FIR) at Dahisar police station against unknown persons for theft of 933 grams of gold and Rs 40,000 cash — worth Rs 42,38,500 in total. Continue reading